Nick and Amanda Thayer are apologizing for their initial defense of a man they believed was a close friend distraught over the disappearance of his family.

In reality, police believe Chris Watts killed his pregnant wife, Shanann, and their two toddler daughters.

“They were always hugging or holding hands or kissing,” Amanda Thayer recalled of their close friends, as reported by KUSA. “They had the perfect family.”

As CrimeOnline previously reported, Shanann Watts posted a Facebook video in which she described her husband as the “best thing that ever happened” to her.

“They were family,” Amanda Thayer said. “They spent Thanksgiving with us and Fourth of July and all the holidays. It’s unreal.”

Nick Thayer fought back tears as he contemplated the weigh of the situation and their role in defending the suspect.

“Had we had any inclination that we thought he was involved at all, no way would I have let him in my house with my wife and kid,” he said.

His wife noted that Chris Watts stayed “right across the hall” from their 5-year-old daughter, who was best friends with the two girls killed earlier this month.

“How do I tell you that your best friend is gone?” the upset father asked. “I don’t know.”

His wife said that “somebody’s going to tell her and she needs to hear it from us.”

The couple is temporarily caring for the family’s dog, the only survivor.

“I’m so sorry,” Nick Thayer added. “We didn’t know. We thought we were doing the right thing. That’s all I can do is say that we’re sorry that we defended him on social media. We really had no idea that he was capable of doing something [like that]. I hate it.”

[Featured image: KUSA, video screenshots]